In a world that makes sense, you might think that a lot of great debut albums would come from musicians who secured a Grammy nomination for best new artist. Of course, you’d be very, very wrong. Of the eight musical acts that nabbed one of those coveted nominations this year, only three of them released their debut studio album in 2025.
To my way of thinking, Olivia Dean was a new artist back in 2023, when her Messy album dropped. Lola Young – whose hit single “Messy” is not to be confused with Dean’s album or song – released her third album in 2025. The Marias first album came out in 2021 and Katseye – well, they have yet to release anything longer than an EP.
Three of the nominees did technically release a debut album in 2025, but none cracked my “best” list. And Leon Thomas, who I think put out the best album amongst all the nominees in 2025, actually released it 2024 – and it was his second full length album.
The best debut albums of 2025
Bottom line – when looking for great debut albums, you can mostly ignore the Grammys new artists because no one has ever really understood what makes an artist “new” in the eyes of the Recording Academy.
But never fear, I’ve found ten great ones – true debuts – for your listening enjoyment.
We’re changing things up a bit this year. We’re going to choose the ten albums from ten different genres. Well, that’s a little misleading. Because my tastes lean a little bit toward punk and alt rock, I am subdividing rock into several categories, and yes, they may overlap a bit.
But I did make an effort this year to listen to a wider range of genres and I was rewarded with some truly outstanding music. Therefore, in no particular order, here are my ten best debut albums of 2025…
POP
Jessica Winter – My First Album
Winter eschews traditional sunshine or dance pop on her first album in favor of a richly textured collection of earworms. Lead track “Nirvana” has bells and sax and a synth-generated sitar that immediately suggests the expansiveness of her vision. “L.O.V.E.” is smart and theatrical pop while “Aftersun” is a gossamer pop power ballad.
She drifts into grunge pop on “All I Ever Wanted” and ethereal folk pop on “Wannabe.” Winter has the ability to produce modern-sounding pop music without necessarily mimicking current pop icons.
R&B
Coco Jones – Why Not More
Jones has put out a lot of music prior to her official debut studio release. Her 2022 EP What I didn’t Tell You earned her one of those best new artist noms back in 2023. So maybe it’s a little unfair to hold her up against newer singers. That, of course, is the first lesson every musician learns. The music biz isn’t fair. Jones’ album is timeless.
The songs are first-rate, and her delivery makes them even better. She has the remarkable ability – a hallmark of most great R&B singers – to sound laid back and utterly passionate at the same time. She does it to perfection on “Thang 4 U.” Because she is also a talented actress, she can sell the drama on a track like “Here We Go (Uh-Oh).”
Afrobeats
Qing Madi – I am the Blueprint
I’m not sure that Qing Madi’s debut is really afrobeats. It interpolates a half dozen other styles, headed up by classic American soul and hip hop. But the beats that run throughout her debut album are clearly inspired by her native Nigeria, even if they may be slowed down to a less frenetic tempo. The dramatic languor of “Akanchawa” and the spry guitar figures of “Damn it All” and “Gimme Your Love” help expand boundaries. “Goosebumps” is as insistent as the title implies.
Alt Rock
Rory – Restoration
We’re into the first of our broad, ill-defined rock categories. Is Rory alt rock? Maybe. Sounds like it to me, especially on album opener “if pain could talk, what would it say,” which opens with some industrial noise, before drifting into airy, self-referential nursery rhyme, and finally settles into its aggressive, banging rap.
That is a fairly common game-plan for much of the album, but within the framework, there is plenty of room for experimentation. There is the edgy pop of “Wolves” on which the British Rory channels a bit of Irish legend Delores O’Riordan.
There are also nods to Kate Bush and Leonard Cohen, and some first-rate pop punk with the crowd-pleasing “Sorry I’m Late.” Lyrically, Rory is coming to terms with a tumultuous past but the music remains triumphant throughout.
Dance
Ninajirachi – I Love My Computer
Australian DJ Nina Wilson released plenty of EPs and a kickass mixtape before turning 25, but she took an even bigger step up with her first studio album. This is kind of like a dance groove for people who don’t necessarily love dance music. That doesn’t mean it’s not filled with standout dance tracks.
It just means the music has evolved enough to be enjoyed outside the confines of the club. As the album title implies, the individual songs are concerned with a virtual life, and Wilson and her collaborators have created a collection of songs that actually shed light on a vital cultural phenomenon, and don’t simply pump out beats to make you move.
In the future, cultural historians may point to “F**k My Computer” and the lyric “I wanna f**k my computer – ‘Cause no one in the world knows me better” as a defining moment in early 21st-century existence.
Pop Punk
Humour – Learning Greek
The Scottish band Humour can be as grinding as any nu metal giant and then can dip into a more melodic brand of catchy pop punk with seamless ease. As such, they sometimes come off as heir to the Linkin’ Park estate. Frontman Andreas Christodoulidis and company manage to create a coherent album despite banging around through multiple styles.
Calling it pop punk is really a mislabel – but I don’t what else to call it. Avant-punk sound too …. I don’t know … avant to me. I suppose if, like me, you can find something pop in a tune like “Die Rich,” the label fits.
Hip-hop
John Glacier – Like a Ribbon
When all the celebrations of hip hop’s fiftieth birthday were being penned a few years ago, many fans questioned if the entire genre’s dominant run was over. It was the same debate that rock & roll fans were having around the turn of the century after rock had clearly given up its position in the world of popular music.
Hip hop has not ceded that position yet – it is still a potent commercial force. But as an art form, there are legitimate questions. Many of the best new artists sound like very good imitators of the first several waves of rap artists who built the empire. But there are innovators out there who can draw on tradition but still offer up new sounds and thoughts.
The best is billy woods. Close on his heels is John Glacier, the Brit who is taking the genre into new territory. “Emotions” comes off as deadpan MIA while “Home” is a grungy rock rap that can pass for a modern love song. The closing track “Nobody,” suggests a tragic end, or a new beginning.
Rock
HotWax – Hot Shock
I’m choosing the East Sussex trio HotWax as my standard rock entry, though you can certainly call them alt if it pleases you to do so. Tallulah Sim-Savage’s guitar usually sounds pretty classic to me and singles like “She’s Got a Problem” and “Wanna Be a Doll” would have been great tunes in any era of rock.
Of course, they can do Nirvana-esque grunge on tracks like “In Her Bedroom” or bass-driven punk like “Hard Goodbye,” but as the old song goes, it’s still rock & roll to me.
Country
Cameron Whitcomb – The Hard Way
While a new breed of female country singer continues to challenge traditional male dominance on the standard country charts, 2025 saw several young male country singers debut with potent new material that was more innovative and introspective than country usually allows for in a male artist.
Josh Ross sketched out a more evolved pop country franchise, while Ty Myers was simply far too mature a songwriter for someone of his tender years. But for me, Whitcomb captures all of it – the traditional sounds blended with a smart pop sensibility that might remind some of Noah Kahan.
The title track is a classic anthem, but on tracks like “Fragile,” Whitcomb veers into country soul with absolute ease and sincerity. He can do hard-charging acoustic rock like “Quitter,” or something that almost sounds like country neo-soul on “Pretty Little.”
Punk
Lambrini Girls – Who Let the Dogs Out
This is one of my top albums of the year, and one of the tracks was my top rock song of the year. The entire album pulses with an energy and an anger that comment on the status of women in the modern world.
And almost every song – from “C**toglogy” to “Big D**k Energy” – comes straight from the crotch. “Company Culture” should probably be played at orientations for all Fortune 500 companies.